Posts Tagged ‘strawberries’

Hope you are enjoying all of the recipes that I have been posting lately. I realized I posted this delcious one to my Twitter and Facebook accounts but completely forgot to post it to my blog. Sorry! Anyhow, I developed the Strawberry Siracha Salmon recipe specifically for the California Strawberry folks so just click on the link here and you will be brought right to the recipe.

Important tip. Like it spicy? Leave the Siracha amount at 2 teaspoons. Want it favorable but not so spicy? Cut the Siracha down to 1 teaspoon. As always, let me know what you think in the comment section. Enjoy!

Like this:

Photo: Strawberry Farmer Tom Jones
As seen on WebMD’s Real Nutrition
By David Grotto, RD, LDN

Some of you might think that I have fruit on the mind, especially with my post last week about the wonders of watermelon. (BTW – for you watermelon “thumpers” out there who hit me up in the comment section, according to University of Illinois agricultural researchers, “thumping” is NOT a reliable way to determine which watermelon is most ripe and sweet – sorry! Here’s the article to support the tips I suggested in last week’s post). The rest of you might think that I have the title of the famous Beatles’ song wrong here or that I’m just trying to be clever. The truth is I’m just trying to be clever. In fact, I’m always trying to find things that might help my aging brain work a little bit better or at least as good as it used to. And the key may lie with substances found in strawberries and other fruits that end in “erry”.

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that my love for strawberries is profound – so much so that I’m teaming up with the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) to talk to fellow food bloggers about the health and nutrition benefits of strawberries next week in California. But even before working with CSC, I discovered the wonders of strawberries for brain health on my own when writing my first book, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. In my second book, 101 Optimal Life Foods, I devoted an entire section to those foods that might enhance brain health, whether it be for fighting depression, getting better sleep, or simply helping out in the area of cognition – like remembering where you left your car keys. Those foods included Concord grapes, walnuts, tea, wine, chocolate, coffee, the herb turmeric, and blueberries as well as strawberries. Turns out that many of the aforementioned foods contain powerful antioxidants called flavanoids which help stave off oxidative stress that leads to impaired brain function. These same flavanoids in research have demonstrated the ability to improve both short- and long-term memory. In a study out of Tufts University, strawberry extract fed to rats slowed declines in cognitive function. Strawberries plant nutrients are the subject of exciting research as they may help enhance signaling between brain neurons, enabling the brain to communicate with each part of itself more effectively.

Many of the same risk factors for heart disease and other chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, and high blood sugar, are now thought to increase the odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia. Inadequate intake of antioxidants over the lifespan has also been implicated in Alzheimer’s and dementia. Strawberries’ rich payload of antioxidants help promote healthy blood flow that feeds the heart as well as the brain. Research shows that the antioxidants in strawberries are efficiently absorbed within one hour of being eaten and many of the same antioxidants slowly increase in concentration in the brain with regular consumption. Strawberries are also a source of potassium, which benefits blood pressure, and are one of the lowest sugar-containing fruits with only 8 grams of sugar per cup, making them an ideal choice for blood glucose and weight management. Strawberries are rich in the antioxidant vitamin C, supplying 160 percent of the daily recommended amount in one cup. Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants found to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Chomping on some strawberries would be a berry good thing to do for brain health as well as supporting the rest of the body. Besides, what good is a brain if it doesn’t have a body to boss around? Here’s a real smart choice for breakfast and a fave recipe featured on the http://www.CaliforniaStrawberries.com website

Come out and see me this Sunday, October 24th, from 7-9pm at Kenmore Live Studio in Chicago as I will be demonstrating foods that help fight pain, belly fat and improve memory. Oh yeah…the dishes taste GREAT!!

The event is free and open to the public – come and eat! Kenmore Live Studio is located at 678 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654. (312) 265-0871. See ya!

The Materne company is the most popular applesauce company in France and boasts more than 1 billion pouches consumed to date. GoGo squeeZ’s can be found in more than 2,000 supermarkets and retailers across the US. It is also available through amazon and other online retailers.

Nutrition Smackdown? This is a fun and convenient way of getting your kids to eat fruit and is only 60 calories per pouch. I only wish Materne used their creativity, beyond cool packaging, to find a way to include the peel of the apple which contains much of the vitamin C and fiber found in whole apples.

Cost? I found a range of $0.62 to $0.82 cents per pouch. They come in individual boxes of four and you can find them by the case of 48 units online. I also couldn’t find any information if the packaging is ‘environmetally friendly’ and the cap may be a choking hazard for the little tikes – be aware.

Taste? Overall, this is a pretty cool product. I asked my daughters, Katie and Madison, what they thought of it…